Thanks to the orthodoxy of the ‘Maharaj’ clan, Kathak very
often is a stagnant pool. Yet, when its waters are
occasionally stirred by young hard working new generation
dancers, it yields beauty of a high order. One such enormously
gifted artiste is Nandini who the critics say that she
is the very epitome of feminine grace and allure. There is
poetry in her body. She has the potential for taking the
viewer to a magic world of Kathak at its best.
Born on 7th June 1952, Nimmi was initiated into the magic
world of dance by her mother Late Janaki Devi, who
herself was a singer of some repute. Nandini was fortunate
enough to be sculpted by great Guru’s of kathak, Guru
Hiralal, Guru Ganeshi Hiralal and Pt. Sunder
Prasad. These kathak maestros helped her in getting the
finest nuances in this dance form.
At Smt. Niana Devi’s Raag Rang conference, where
Ustd. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustd. Hafiz Ali Khan, Badi Moti
Bai performed, Nandini, with her debut performance
delighted the audience. Her whirlwind brhamaris, sharp and
neat tihaees, difficult chakradhars and other episodes
prevalent commonly in Kathak form, were far beyond
expectations from a teenager. By fifteen she was already an
accomplished dancer. In late 60’s itself, she had carved a
niche for herself in kathak, blossoming into one of the finest
new generation kathak dancers as Nandini. Further, in
her persuit for perfection, she got associated with Pt.
Devi Lal, and Durga Lal, who brought along added
enhancements in her dance.
Over the years, Nandini featured in innumerable recitals in
and outside India. Then came a major gap for over a decade in
Nandini’s dance life at the top of her quest for perfection
and glory. Nandini gave up dancing just after her marriage in
1971. She came back in to this field again in 1986 almost
after a gap of 15 years now as Nandini Singh.
She combines her presentations a fine balance of Nritta,
Abhinaya and Lyrical Beauty. She has also to her credits
several choreographic works. She has rendered her performances
in all prestigious festivals throughout India and abroad, in
Russia, Turkmenistan, Khrigystan, US of A, UK Germany,
Caribbean Islands, West Indies, Afghanistan, Mauritius, Sri
Lanka etc. Nandini, in her effort to awaken our younger
generation the sensibilities and aesthetics of dance, conducts
regular classes, lecture demonstrations and concerts organised
all over India by Spic – Macay, and Bal Bahwan
organisations. She has also formulated a charitable
organisation in 1996 named “Vaasuki Natyashala”.
In addition to being an excellent dancer with beauty and
charming personality, she has proven herself to be an
excellent teacher and acquired formidable reputation by being
a senior teacher for some period of time at Kathak Kendra,
New Delhi and is presently Guru at Sri Ram Bhartiya
Kala Kendra for the last 16 years. Raja Ram Mohan Roy
foundation felicitated her with the Best Teacher award
in 1998 presented by the Vice President of India. Apart from
other prestigious awards like Chirag –e- Nau, Rajasthan
Rang Manch award, Abivyakti Kala Sangam award, Outstanding
Woman of the Year award by Indian Air Force etc, she is
also a recipient of Senior Fellowship from the Government
of India, for her research on Parans in Kathak. |